Birmingham City: Gary Rowett on the late goals and the heated tempers at Derby County

Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett during the Sky Bet Championship match at the iPro Stadium, Derby

Sign up to FREE email alerts from BirminghamLive - Birmingham City FC

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. OurPrivacy Noticeexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Gary Rowett was both apologetic and euphoric after his Birmingham City side scored twice in the final two minutes to salvage a 2-2 draw.

The game will be best remembered for the way Paul Caddis's penalty and Clayton Donaldson 95th minute equaliser reined in Derby's 2-0 lead.

It was also marred by a half time incident in which Rowett remonstrated with Derby's Johnny Russell.

But this was all about Blues' remarkable comeback: "It's an incredible game when you look at the fact Derby controlled the majority of the game, they should really have comfortably won the game," Rowett admitted.

"But it doesn't always work like that, the game is made up of many different parts. Part of it is withstanding late pressure form a team that is chasing the game.

"We have got a little bit of fortune which we probably didn't deserve but at the same time we've earned ourselves a penalty with a great run from Robert Tesche and then we've forced bodies in there and got on the end of something.

"It's a great point for us and builds brilliantly well on the back of our last two home victories and it means in 22 games since we came in we have only lost five. We are not an easy team to beat or play against."

He added he regreted his response to what he felt was unsportsmanlike conduct from Russell after the striker refused to allow Blues easy possesion when they'd kicked the ball out to allow Tom Ince to be treated.

"I shouldn't have walked over, that's my passion coming back to an old club and wanting to do well, boiling over.

Pictured in the Sky Bet championship match at the Ipro Stadium between Derby County and Birmingham City is Gary Rowett upset at half time.

"The game stopped because a Derby player goes down so we should get the ball back comfortably.

"To be fair there were a few free kicks before that and maybe Johnny was a little bit frustrated and smashed the ball in the corner.

"They then pushed in and tried to stop us getting out, all i said to the Derby staff was 'Let us have the ball back then and there's no problem.

"I felt it was a little ungentlemanly and that was why I was so incensed,

"I have obviously got to make sure as a manager of a fantastic football club I don't let that get in the way and lose my cool.

"I certainly wasn't looking to get physical. There was no problem, I apologise for my actions but I felt it was a moment that could have been avoided if we had been given the ball back."